Silage is a fermented feed resulting from the storage of high moisture crops under anaerobic conditions in a structure known as silo. When the green is stored in an airtight silo its fermentation by microbes result in production of lactic acid, acetic acid and formic acid, which prevent decomposition and growth of unwanted spoilage organisms. Eventually, the acids kill most of the microbes and preserve the silage as long as (10-15 year) anaerobic condition is maintained.

There are several advantages of silage making.

• Silage preserves up to 85 per cent of nutritive value of crop.
• Silage can ensure supply of quality forage in lean period. When green production in excess, it can be preserved for future use by silage making.
• The produce from a given area can be stored in less space compared to when stored in dry condition.
• A cubic foot of silage contains about three times more dry weight of feed than a cubic foot of long hay stored in the heap.

How to prepare good quality silage?

Preparing silo pit

The size of silo pit should be decided on the basis of

• number of animals,
• body weight of animals,
• length of feeding period and
• amount of fodder available.

On an average, preparation of every 7.0 quintal silage require one cubic meter silo pit. Say, for feeding 12 adult buffaloes for one month period we need about (30 Kg silage of 30% dry matter per head per d) 108 quintals silage and 16 cubic meter silo pit (2.6 meter diameter and 3 meter height). Silo pits should be easy to fill and easy to remove. It should be of adequate depth for better packing and less surface area to total mass exposed. It should be at highest spot to avoid water seepage. Walls should be strong. Boundaries should be raised so that rain water cannot enter silo pit.

 

Types of crops suitable for silage making

Crops having good percentage of sugar and appropriate (35-40% dry matter; 65-60% moisture.) moisture are good for silage making.

Crops like

• maize,
• jowar,
• bajra,
• hybrid napier,
• oat are most suitable for silage making.

Leguminous crops like

• berseem,
• Lucerne,
• cowpea is not suitable, unless molasses are sprayed on these crops while filling silo pit.

Harvest at proper stage

1. Crops at preflowering to flowering stage should be harvested.
2. Crops should not contain more than 75% moisture while silage making.
3. Crops with hollow stems like maize, jowar, bajra, hybrid napier should be chaffed to an inch size to prevent trapping of air and spilage of silage.
4. High moisture crops can be dried in sunshine for 4 hours to reduce moisture content by 15%. Some dry hay or straw 5-20% can also be added.
5. If the crop is over ripe and too dry or it over dried, add water during packing silo.

 

Add any of the following additives when needed

Molasses:  When legumes (berseem, Lucerne, etc. ) and low sugar grasses are ensiled adding molasses improve quality of silage and its palatability. Molasses may be added at the rate of 3.5-4 percent of green weight of silage.

Urea:       Cereal forages can be enriched for nitrogen (protein) content by spraying urea at the rate of  0.5 to 1.0 percent of fresh forage.

Lime:       This can be added at a level of 0.5-1.0 percent to maize silage to increase acid production.

 

Filling and sealing of the silo pit

1. The filling should be rapid with proper pressing by use of tractor after each filling to remove air.
2. Silo pit filling should be completed within 4-7 days.
3. After thorough pressing, top should be covered with polythene followed by soil layer of 6 inches depth.
4. Top of silo pit after filling and compressing should be higher than surrounding. Plug all possible areas of air or water entry.

 

Removing silage from pit

1. Silage should be ready within a period of 2-3 week of sealing.
2. Once opened the pit should be fed completely.
3. Silage may be fed from top, layer by layer, daily.
4. On exposure to air for longer period silage get spoiled. Hence, try to prevent entry of air.

 

Characteristics of good silage

1. Good silage should be green, brown or golden colour (black colour indicate poor silage).
2. It should not contain mould.
3. Its smell should be good smell of lactic and acetic acid (like dahi and viniger).
4. Taste should be pleasant and acidic.

• General guidelines for feeding of diseased buffaloes
• Feeding during diarrhoea

Hay refers to grasses or legumes harvested at premature stage, dried and stored at 85-90 percent dry matter. The water content of fodder is reduced to such a level when it can be stored safely in stack without undergoing fermentation or becoming mouldy. Good quality hay can be prepared when green fodder is in excess and stored for use during lean season.

 

Harvest crop at proper stage

•  The best time for harvesting crops for hay making is when it is one-third to a half in flowering.
• At this stage protein and vitamin content are high, fibre content is low.
• Leguminaous fodders like lucerne, berseem, cowpea and soybean are good candidates for making hay.
• Legume hays are rich in protein and minerals.
•  Among nonlegumes, oats and barley are good candidates for making hay. Although nonlegume hays are less in protein and minerals, their crop yield per hectre is higher and they are rich in carbohydrate.

 

Curing

Care should be taken that the crop should be saved from bleaching by the sun and leaves preserved from shattering with maximum removal of moisture. The cut crop should be allowed to lie in field for 5-6 hour until one third cured. It should be raked into small loose heaps which should be turned at three hour intervals. Hay may also be cured by hanging in tripod or on farm fences. Alternatively, crops can be chaffed and sprayed in thin layer on smooth clen surface with frequent stirring. Moisture content of hay should be reduced to less than 20 percent (preferably 15 percent) for safe storage. If moisture content is high, it will generate heat and fermentation will take place causing loss of nutrient.

 

Characteristics of good quality hay

 Good hay should be leafy (loss of leaf should be minimum) as leaves are rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins.

Hay should be prepared from fodders cut at premature stage when nutrient content is maximum.

 Good quality hay should be green in colour, soft, palatable, free from mould, free from weeds, have smell characteristics of the crop from which hay is made.